


Limbo

by SharpestRose



Category: Dangan Ronpa
Genre: Gen, SDR2 Spoilers, endgame spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-08-16
Packaged: 2017-12-23 17:58:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/929415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharpestRose/pseuds/SharpestRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Hinata's turn to take the bedside vigil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Limbo

Hinata has turned over the possibilities in his mind a thousand times. Some of the sleepers remembered only the island. Some remembered nothing of the island and everything of their lives before it. Some remembered both the despair and the game. Now that there's only Komaeda left to still wake up, Hinata has spent more time than he should wondering which Komaeda they'll get back.

They take shifts in his room. Now that he's the only patient, the larger ward has been re-purposed for other Future Foundation work, and the fifteen of them have been pushed out of sight and out mind as much as possible. Komaeda's new accommodations are not that much bigger than a supply closet, just enough space for the monitoring equipment and a single chair beside the bed. 

Sonia's there when Hinata arrives to take his turn. She's very, very thin now. They never ask each other about their memories, but Hinata has seen her go pale and shaky at the barest scent of cooked meat often enough to know that whatever it is that haunts her from her past, it's something that she's going to be carrying with her into any future that lies ahead.

But that's all right. Survivor's guilt is a bond between them all, as strong as friendship. All they can do is try to go forward, and try to be grateful that they came back to themselves enough to feel guilt at all. To survive at all.

Sonia leaves with a weary smile and Hinata sits down in her place. Komaeda doesn't look peaceful. He doesn't look like he's at rest. He looks blank, an empty thing. He reminds Hinata far more of a dead body than of someone comatose. Hinata has seen a lot of dead bodies.

He dozes a little, glad to catch a bit of rest. Insomnia is so prevalent among them that eventually the Future Foundation left the rec room on their floor unlocked at all hours, so they could gather to chat and watch movies and play games when they needed to.

Hinata wonders how long it'll be before the Future Foundation lets them off their floor of the building without armed escorts. He suspects it'll be a while yet. 

"I guess you weren't Super High School Level Tsun-Tsun Hair after all."

The words rouse him from his half-asleep state, slowly at first and then with a jerk of surprise. Komaeda's voice is hoarse, not much more than a whispered croak, and his eyes are barely open as he looks up at Hinata.

"Oh! I'll get the light," Hinata says, realising even the dimness of the room would be too much for Komaeda's vision right now. He flicks off the switch and settles back down in his chair. It's almost completely dark in the room, but Hinata can still see Komaeda just fine. He has excellent vision. 

"I've been turning over so many possibilities of what would happen when you... if you woke up," Hinata says. "But I have to admit I didn't think of that one."

"'When'. I like that better than 'if'. Stay with 'when'," Komaeda replies. Hinata rolls his eyes. Seems like Komaeda's optimism survived, at least.

"There are ice chips here." Hinata holds up the cup. "For your mouth. Do you want some?"

"Yes."

Hinata slips a few of the chips in past Komaeda's cracked lips, so he can suck on them. Then Hinata touches the braid down his back self-consciously.

"The weight of having it so long stops it from springing up at the top like it used to, you're right. I never thought I'd miss that stupid spiky thing it did, but..." Hinata trails off. He never thought a lot of the things that he now knows about himself.

"I did try getting it cut," he confesses. "After I woke up. It turns out I've developed a bad phobia of blades near my head." He gives a self-deprecating smile, and feeds Komaeda another few ice chips. "Also, I think having it as short as I'd like would expose the scars too much. They're not pleasant to look at."

None of them wear their scars and injuries proudly. They were come by in such terrible ways. It's standard habit for them to tactfully ignore them on each other as much as possible. 

"What do you remember?" he asks Komaeda now, unable to hold off any longer. Komaeda swallows and frowns, clearly trying to gather his thoughts. 

"I don't know. I remember feeling such a dark disappointment..."

"It doesn't matter," Hinata says hurriedly, taking Komaeda's hand in his own without thinking, squeezing it gently. "Despair didn't win. Which, as much as it pains me to say this, means I guess you were right. Despair didn't win."

That makes Komaeda's mouth twitch up into a small smile. He looks so tired, as if he hasn't been doing nothing but sleeping for the better part of a year. 

"Hope always triumphs in the end, Hinata."

"No." Hinata shakes his head. "It's not the end. It's the start of what comes next. And now that you've come back to us, maybe we'll finally be able to begin."


End file.
